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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26608036">Up At Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwiggityswagdatboiTed/pseuds/SwiggityswagdatboiTed'>SwiggityswagdatboiTed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Flash one-shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Flash (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>3x10-ish, Best Friends, CAN be interpreted as KillerVibe, Caitlin Snow is Killer Frost, Caitlin and Cisco friendship, Feels, Gen, Not Beta Read, The Flash (TV 2014) Season 3, but was not my intention</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:40:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26608036</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwiggityswagdatboiTed/pseuds/SwiggityswagdatboiTed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Taken from another prompt I saw that said:<br/>“It’s things like these that keep me up at night”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cisco Ramon &amp; Caitlin Snow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Flash one-shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Up At Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is set back in season 3, right when Caitlin’s powers were becoming a problem. Think 3x10, but it’s not quite taking place in that episode. (It’s also kinda Veered off from the canon in that timeline *my brain can’t think of what that word is*)<br/>Btw, this CAN be interpreted as a KillerVibe fic, but I was writing it more with their friendship in mind.<br/>Anyway,<br/>Disclaimer: I do not own The Flash or any part of the DC universe.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Caitlin was terrified. Terrified that one night she was going to make sure the cuffs were charged. Terrified that she was going to wake up as Killer Frost. Terrified that she was going to hurt the family she had made. </p><p>She thinks back to the day she had Cisco vibe the future, to check if she really became….<em> her. </em> And he lied to her, so as to not hurt her. She could tell. He never really was good at keeping secrets from her. And when she asked him to tell her the truth, she could still picture the forlorn expression on his face. Like someone had just kicked his puppy. As he told her that they were meant to fight each other, as enemies. It broke Caitlin’s heart…</p><p>So, here she was- awake and already dressed for the day, sitting up in her bed at 3:37 in the morning- terrified to fall asleep as Cisco’s power dampening cuffs charged. </p><p>She couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to hear a familiar voice, someone that could calm her down, even in the midst of all the chaos happening right now. Caitlin picked up her phone off her bedside table and dialed the number she knew by heart. On the third ring was the call answered. </p><p>“Hello?” She heard the groggy voice call out, still laced with sleep. </p><p>“Cisco?” Caitlin whispered tentatively. “Do you think you could meet me at STAR labs?” She could hear the rustle of his sheets as he started to wake up a little more, concern evident in his voice. </p><p>“Yeah sure. Is something wrong? </p><p>Seeing that the cuffs were charged enough she unplugged them before placing the charger in her purse and grabbing her car keys. </p><p>“I just- I’ll explain at the lab.” She stuttered and hung up before either one could utter another word. </p>
<hr/><p>When Cisco arrived he founded Caitlin sitting alone in the dark cortex. When she spotted him she wordlessly thrust the cuffs’ charger at him, he nodded in understanding, and took it before sitting down next to her and plugging the cuffs in. Meanwhile with the tools that Caitlin had grabbed for him beforehand while he was on his way there, Cisco picked up one of them off the desk and began tampering with it, seeing if he could fix anything to make it charge the cuffs faster, or get an idea of something better he could do. His knowledge in meta-physiology wasn’t as extensive as Caitlin’s or Julian’s, and at the moment he didn’t feel like he could brainstorm this with Caitlin, so he made a mental note to remind himself to talk to Julian about coming up with an alternative for Caitlin- something more inconspicuous.</p><p>After about half an hour had passed Cisco had done all he could think of without a stimulant to refuel his brain. He set the tools down and stood up, giving an exaggerated moan as he stretched and glanced at Caitlin, she was smirking slightly but she wasn’t looking at him.</p><p>”I need to get some brain juice. Just gonna have to settle for the coffee here since Jitters isn’t open yet, you want any?” He asked her. Cisco was pretty sure she didn’t get much rest if any at all before they came here. She nodded in response and he squeezed her shoulder in comfort. That’s when he noticed she was shaking. He shed the jacket that he put on before leaving and draped it around her shoulders. “I’ll be back in a little bit.” He said with a small smile. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>When Cisco returned he noticed that Caitlin was in almost the exact same position he had left her in, only she had tightened the jacket around her shoulders. He silently set her coffee that he poured into her favorite mug, in front of her and felt warmth bloom inside him at the smile that graced her features as she inhaled its aroma. <br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p>A silence settled between the two but finally Cisco couldn’t take it, and he needed answers-answers he knew she wouldn’t give once everyone started arriving at 8:30 AM, which meant that they had three and half hours to just talk.</p><p>“So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong now?” He decided to ask bluntly. The question made Caitlin jump, like he’d snapped her out of a trance, and her eyes bore into his. Only then did he realize how tired she looked. When was the last time she <em>actually</em> slept? </p><p>Caitlin sighed, knowing that it would be better for her to tell him, that it would lift the weight off her shoulders of having one more secret to keep. </p><p>“I’m scared, Cisco.” She whispered so quietly he had to strain to hear her. “Of what?” He questioned. “Of us fighting?” It had been on his mind a lot lately too, the thought of losing his best friend to evil, the two of them on opposite sides, fighting, possibly to the death. He <em>needed</em> to come up with a way to prevent that. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Of everything...” she finally responded. “Of becoming her, feeling nothing but cold, helping that psychopath kill Iris........hurting you.” Her gaze dropped down to her lap and she let out a small chuckle, as though this whole situation was humorous. <br/>
<br/>
“You know, before I told you about this, before I stole your cuffs, I was getting ready for bed one night and I looked in the mirror. My lips were blue and a strand of my hair was white, not to mention that any water that I was near, froze. All I could think of is when I was back in Zoom’s lair. When <em>She</em> almost killed me. I could finally understand where the power of that cold blast came from-I could feel it flowing through me- and that scared me.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Cisco didn’t speak when she paused to collect her thoughts. This was her time, he was just there to listen and comfort her, and that’s what he’d do. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I’m afraid to look in the mirror now. Afraid that if I do, all I’ll see are those piercing eyes staring back at me, ready to kill. I’m afraid that if I ever do lose control again, that I’ll never be able to get it back. I’m afraid that she’s going to take away what matters most to me.......It’s things like these that keep me up at night.” At this, Caitlin’s shoulders started shaking even more than they were before as she held back a sob and curled in on herself. Cisco got out of his chair and kneeled down in front of her and rested a gentle hand on her knee. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You think you can just lose us that easily?” He said somewhat jokingly. “From the moment you walked into this building you belonged here, just like the rest of us. We are your home, Caitlin. We aren’t going anywhere, we love you too much.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Finally, Caitlin uncurled herself and fell into Cisco’s arms, bringing the cuffs and the portable charger with her, tears still falling. He held her tight as he carefully eased the both of them onto the floor, comfortingly rubbing her back.</p><p>”Even if she somehow does manage to take control, you need to know that team Flash will not rest until we get you back. Even if that means we have to lock you up in the Pipeline again, I promise you that I would come down there everyday just to see you until I found a cure to bring you back.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Caitlin pulled away from Cisco and nodded her thanks, a small smile on her face. He was all she needed to calm down. She yawned, suddenly realizing exactly how tired she was and glanced at her watch. 6:38 AM. Cisco must have had the same thought in his head, since he voiced the suggestion out loud. </p><p>“How about you go lay on the cot and get what sleep you can before the others show up?” He jerked his head in the direction of the medical bay and she nodded in agreement. Cisco got up first and like a gentleman, held out his hand to help her up too. She accepted it graciously and got on  her feet before making her way with her friend onto the bed. He helped her get settled and made sure the portable charger was out of the way but still connected before turning to exit the room.  He was stopped by a hand wrapped around his wrist. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Cisco?” Caitlin urged him to turn around, which he did. “Can you stay?” She timidly asked. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He smiled at this and carefully pried her fingers off his wrist before pulling up a chair next to the bed and taking her cold hand in his much warmer one. He sat there with Caitlin as he watched her eyelids become heavy and she slowly drifted off to sleep. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Always.” He whispered into the dark room, never letting go of her hand.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I’m not as proud of this one as I am of my last two, but still wanted to get this one out.<br/>As mentioned in the tags, I have no betareader.<br/>HOWEVER, I am looking for one for the Flash so if you’re interested, PLS PLS PLS let me know. </p><p>Also, I’m thinking that, starting next week (meaning Monday) I’m going to try to post AT LEAST one one-shot a week. The days most likely won’t be consistent cuz I have work and health issues, but I am gonna try to keep it up every week.<br/>-Ted</p></blockquote></div></div>
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